Red Dead Redemption Single player final review & initial thoughts on multiplayer.

I polished of the Single Player story a day or two ago and have to say that Red Dead Redemption might have one of the best end stories of any Rockstar game I have played.  I was actually shocked...not only at the length of the story (it just seemed to keep branching, though I have some problems that I won't address because they are spoilers and in retrospect they do play their role in the story arc) but the end and the denouement were really solid.  It took me about a day to reach 100% complete - the easiest 100% in a Rockstar game I've ever gotten.

With a fond farewell I bid adieu to Red Dead Redemption  single player and delved into multiplayer.  I am still flabbergasted that it took so long to make a Rockstar multiplayer that serves a purpose and also shocked that multiplayer is as engaging as single player.

It's not just a run around, PvP mayhem with tweens screaming (aka GTA IV multiplayer).  There's a massive amount of free roam goals and challenges.  Most of these run parallel to the single player challenges but in multiplayer they have added depth and challenge.   Many are extended and others are simply more difficult because if you try to tackle them on your own they are a pain in the ass.  Example, trying to cause trouble in a town will bring the full force of the law down upon you tout suite and trying to raise levels and get achievements solo is nigh impossible.  Example: I was going toe to toe with the Mexican army over and over again and dying over and over again.  I another player causing mayhem as well and lent my guns to his fight.  We ended up running out of ammo before we were swarmed and gunned down.

The PvP is brilliantly fast and brutal.  While I was riding the high country hunting I made the mistake of shooting first and asking questions later on a player who happened upon me.  I spent the next half hour in a running retreat/gun battle with him and his friend who kept gunning for me.  I held my own, though I have to admit I laughed my ass off when one guy was shooting the shit out of me and a bear charged out of the bushes and mauled him to death.

I'm looking forward to more Red Dead, thanks to the expansive multiplayer.  Now if only some of you folks would play so we could get a posse together and whomp the coop missions.